NILES Utility customers' 2003 fee helps with projects

The flat fee generates about $223,000 annually for storm sewer improvements.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- Whatever happened to the $2 flat fee imposed monthly on residential utility customers in 2003?
A great deal, says Mayor Ralph A. Infante, noting it has resulted in about $2 million in storm sewer improvement projects.
Infante said the city has been able to use the fee that generates $223,000 annually to obtain Community Development Block Grant money, Issue 2 funding, no-interest loans and money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The mayor terms the approach "mix and match."
After the Mahoning and Shenango valleys were pelted by heavy thunderstorms in 2003 resulting in water-filled basements, Infante assembled the Storm Water Task Force.
The eight-member task force, put together in September 2003, is made up of city officials who deal with engineering and storm water.
A list of 23 projects was compiled, focused on installation of storm sewer lines where there weren't any, enlarging lines and putting in catch basins.
Meetings were then held with residents in groups of 10 to 15 to inform them of the proposed work to abate flooding, and about the fee.
Fees imposed
Service Director Donald K. Allen imposed the $2 residential fee, along with $4 per month from commercial users and $10 a month from industrial users.
"These people were so happy because they actually saw what projects would be done," Infante said, adding that they simply wanted to know where the fee revenue would be used and for what.
Infante said other communities didn't impose such a fee because it may have been politically unpopular or "they never thought about it."
"We take a proactive role," the mayor commented. "It's been great."
Since then, nearly improvements costing $2 million have been made.
Ironically, three projects with a cost of $1.5 million have been shelved after the engineering design was completed because the city couldn't get easements to go onto private property.
Infante said he frankly doesn't understand the property owners, noting they didn't want to see their sheds moved or trees downed or they wanted to see if they'd get some windfall money from the city.
Value of projects
One was a $1 million project along Bentwillow Drive. The others were in the Camrose Drive area, a $100,000 project; and Difford Drive, $50,000.
In the Bentwillow project, the city had to turn away an $800,000 no-interest loan because the city couldn't get the easements.
The city may return to Difford Drive in an attempt to get the easements because there may have been a change in property ownership, the mayor noted.
Six projects have been completed with city workers. They're at Vienna Avenue; Washington Avenue and Harris Street; Sherman Street; Ravine Court; Bonnie Brea Avenue; and Roosevelt Avenue.
Projects under way this construction season are at Belmont Avenue and Forest Street; Spruce Street and Sophia Drive; Taft Avenue; Carnegie and Roosevelt avenues; Trumbull Drive; Mistletoe Road; Indiana and Nebraska avenues; and Trumbull Drive.
This leaves five storm water projects for 2007.
Work will be done on Potomac Road; St. John Avenue; Gypsy Lane; Vienna Avenue; and Helen, Wade and Wilson avenues.
yovich@vindy.com